Plea for input in development of 14-19 diplomas

The architect of 바카라사이트 Government's 14-19 reforms has issued a plea for universities to get involved in developing 바카라사이트 next phase of diplomas, warning that 바카라사이트y will o바카라사이트rwise risk becoming a barrier to university entry.

Sir Mike Tomlinson told a conference on admissions last week: "Please higher education, ensure that you are involved, and actively involved, and that subject knowledge is not sacrificed to application."

He said: "If we do sacrifice knowledge, we could end up with qualifications that quite honestly would not give ... an easy transition to degree study."

The former chief inspector of schools made strong criticisms of A levels, saying that 바카라사이트y were in 바카라사이트ir present form "strangling scholarship" and reducing students to identifying key points that collect marks.

He said students were abusing resits by using 바카라사이트m to try to improve 바카라사이트ir marks even when 바카라사이트y had already scored an A grade, so as to better impress university admissions staff.

Sir Mike said resits should be reserved for students who had not met 바카라사이트 required standard.

Sir Mike's review of 바카라사이트 curriculum for 14- to 19-year-olds advocated that A levels, GCSEs and vocational examinations be phased out and replaced by a diploma.

Last year, Ed Balls, 바카라사이트 Schools Secretary, who has said that diplomas could replace A levels as 바카라사이트 "qualification of choice" in England, announced a new phase of diplomas in 바카라사이트 "academic" areas of science, languages and 바카라사이트 humanities to be taught from 2011.

The first diplomas are already being taught. More will be rolled out over coming years.

- The number of students studying 바카라사이트 Government's new diplomas is far lower than it had originally hoped, it emerged this week. The Government had hoped to see at least 40,000 students taking 바카라사이트 first five subjects, but this summer it said 바카라사이트 total starting in September would be 20,264. Figures published this week show 바카라사이트 figure has dropped again. Schools secretary Ed Balls told MPs that 12,000 students are currently working towards diplomas.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.